


Welts

by jenatwork



Category: Prince of Stride: Alternative (Anime)
Genre: Fluff, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-03-04
Updated: 2016-03-04
Packaged: 2018-05-24 18:05:18
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,042
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6161947
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/jenatwork/pseuds/jenatwork
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Pre-canon, 1st-year Hozumi and Ayumu.</p><p>Ayumu discovers a down-side to being the fastest shogi-player in the world.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Welts

**Author's Note:**

> I am worse than trash. I am what trash becomes when the trash doesn't get emptied for weeks.

It's all Kohinata-san's fault. It has to be. Mostly because Hasekura-san is a little too intimidating for him to blame, but also because Kohinata is the one currently laughing at him.

“I am in _pain_ , Kohinata-san,” he grouses, hands clutched to his chest. “This is no laughing matter.”

Hozumi just titters some more, his hair gradually slipping loose from the pins he wears as his head shakes.

“Sorry, Ayumu-kun.” He doesn't sound at all sorry. “I guess we should have warned you.”

Ayumu harumphs and turns back to his locker, wondering whether it's worth changing his clothes. He doesn't want to risk blood stains on his white school shirt, but he doesn't want to travel home in the sweaty T-shirt he's currently wearing.

“Playing shogi isn't supposed to lead to actual physical injuries,” he mutters, just loud enough for Hozumi to hear. Unsurprisingly, he's answered with another giggle.

“I seem to recall icing a rather nasty bump on your head after last week's game against Heath-kun.”

Ayumu turns just enough to shoot an angry glare at him over his shoulder. The motion causes his shirt to chafe awkwardly against his injuries, however, and he hides his face in his locker, hissing from the pain.

“That was nothing to do with the art of shogi,” he counters, “and everything to do with Hasekura-san's dubious tactics.” He desperately wants to take off his T-shirt, but is fretting about the potential pain and the potential embarrassment of Kohinata-san catching sight of his welts. 

“And nothing at all to do with you tripping over the board when you got mad at him?”

Ayumu chooses not to respond. Hozumi chuckles as he opens up his own locker.

“Wait a minute.” He snaps his locker closed. “Warned me? You knew this could happen?”

“It's not an uncommon problem for runners.”

“I am not a runner.” Ayumu decides pain is worse than embarrassment, and yanks his T-shirt over his head. “I am a shogi player. A shogi player who is currently in pain, and who still doesn't see what running has to do with shogi!” 

“But remember what Heath-kun told you. 'A healthy mind is wasted without a healthy body.'” Hozumi nods knowingly; Ayumu just scowls. As far as he's concerned, shogi players should stick to shogi and forget this running nonsense.

He pulls his uniform shirt out of his locker and gingerly shrugs it on, mindful of catching it on his sore spots.

“Wait!” Hozumi's sudden yelp startles him, and his fingers fumble with the first button. “You need to put some anti-sceptic cream on first.”

“It can wait until I get home,” he grumbles. Right now, he just wants to get out of the club room and get home as quickly as possible. Preferably without having to move.

“No!” Hozumi is already rooting through his own locker, quickly locating a tube of anti-sceptic, which he waves happily in front of Ayumu. “You should do it straight away. Wouldn't want to risk an infection, right?”

They both pull a face at that thought.

Ayumu breathes a sigh of resignation and holds out his hand for the tube of cream, but Hozumi already has the cap off and is squeezing some on to his fingertips.

“You could always invest in a compression vest to keep this from happening to you in the future,” he says, as he sets the tube back in his locker.

“Compression? That sounds painful. And expensive. And like you think I'm going to carry on running.” Hozumi reaches out to dab cream on his welts; without thinking, Ayumu flinches away before he makes contact.

“Keep still!”

“I can do this myself, Kohinata-san.” He crosses his arms over his chest. It makes his nipples sting even more, but he doesn't budge.

“I've already got cream on my fingers, don't make me waste it.” Hozumi reaches out with his other hand, trying to yank Ayumu's arms back down. He tries to resist, but it only chafes more. “Besides, I thought you liked the idea of being the fastest shogi player in the world.” Eventually he relents, dropping his arms. Just to be safe, Hozumi holds him in place with his free hand on Ayumu's back.

The cream, when it touches, is cold, and Ayumu yelps with surprise. Of course Hozumi laughs at him again. Ayumu briefly contemplates smacking him around the head, since Hozumi's head is conveniently close, but it's hard to move when Hozumi's currently rubbing his fingers over one of the more sensitive parts of Ayumu's body. The cream stings for a second, but then the coldness becomes rather soothing, and he tries to focus on that.

“There are other ways to prevent jogger's nipple,” Hozumi tells him. His voice has dropped in both pitch and volume, and Ayumu can feel his breath in little puffs on his chest. It's all rather odd, and he doesn't like the way his face is suddenly heating up. He's glad Hozumi is focusing on his own hands and not looking Ayumu in the eye. “You can put Vaseline on them before you run. Or band-aids. And you probably shouldn't wear such heavy T-shirts when you run.”

“Why do you keep talking like I'm going to keep running?” Something strange has happened to his voice; it's quieter than he'd like, and kind of squeaky. He puts it down to tiredness, and tries not to look down when Hozumi moves to the other side, applying a fresh dab of anti-sceptic to his reddened nipple.

“Ayumu-kun, we have to warm up our bodies just like we warm up our minds.”

“To sit and play shogi?”

Hozumi doesn't answer him; just straightens up and smiles. Before Ayumu can stop him, Hozumi smears the last bit of cream from his fingers on to Ayumu's nose. He grins as Ayumu scowls and wipes it away with the back of his hand.

“I'll bring both next time,” Hozumi tells him as he collects his bag and closes his locker. “And you can decide whether you want me to put Vaseline on them or band-aids.”

As he follows Hozumi out of the club room, Ayumu struggles to find the words to tell Kohinata-san no, he won't need either, because he won't run again.

He never does.


End file.
